“No, sir.” Boss looked to me for answers as to what was going on, but I had no clue.

“The dang table must have a loose leg.” Pa jerked to his feet. “Everyone get up.” He shooed us away as he crawled underneath the table.

I pulled the younger twins further away when Pa kicked a chair in our direction to make more room for his large form. The table shook as he inspected each leg, muttering nonsense to himself the entire time.

“Pa, I don’t think the table is loose.” Peg placed a hand on top and bore down, showing that no wobble could be found.

“You callin’ me a liar?” Pa asked sternly, shoving his way out.

“No, sir,” Peg answered slowly as the tension grew thick.

I didn’t know what was about to happen, so I took a step in front of Peg when Pa moved closer to him.

Pa reached a big hand out and grasped the lip of the tabletop, picking it up and dropping it in rapid succession to emphasize each of his words. “The. Table. Is. Off. Balance!” Tea glasses overturned and a few forks pinged against the floor.

“Yes, sir,” I said with most of my siblings echoing in agreement.

“Now you mocking me?” Pa’s crazed eyes twitched as he glared at me. Before I could answer, he upturned the entire table, breaking off a leg and most certainly making it off-balance. Dishes shattered and supper ruined, he stormed out the door, leaving all of us shaking like leaves while staring at the chaos he’d just created.

“This has to stop!” Peg yelled, shoving a chair out of his way.

“Not now, Peg,” I said through gritted teeth as Nash and Knox began to cry. “Charlotte, take the boys to the living room while I go make us some sandwiches.”

“Come on, boys,” she whispered as she led them out of the room.

“Peg —”

“I know! Clean up Pa’s mess.” He leaned down and started collecting all the brokenness, with Boss and Raleigh joining in. “All we do is clean up his crap . . . and hide it . . .” Peg grumbled this and some other choice words under his breath, but I had no energy to reprimand him about it.

No, tonight we had much bigger issues than swear words.